Visitor from the Bayou
by Disturbed Courtney
Summary: Story Six: Someone came up to see Gambit...


Visitor From the Bayou 

"Ah can't believe there's only one more week of school. Then it'll be a whole summer of fun, raht Remy?" Rogue squeezed his hand as she saw the mansion appear in her line of view

"We gonna have t' take a long vacation, chere. I be tired from de Brot'erhood an' ev'ryt'ing." He sighed. In his six weeks of being an X-Man and attending Bayville High, he'd seen enough of Principal Darkholme a.k.a. Mystique and her gang of mutants for a lifetime.

"Maybe the professor will let us take the collar if we go…" She ran her finger up Remy's arm, smiling slyly.

He looked down to her, smiling as well. "We don' need t' ask, chere." He raised his eyebrow suggestively.

She pushed him away playfully. "Ah really don't wanna spend five straight hours in the Danger room again, Remy. Remember last weekend? That was murder. An' besides, ya can't steal from a telepath." She opened the gate in the front of the mansion, peeking in the mailbox before walking through.

"I've done it before." Rogue hit him harder this time, but her smirk didn't fade. "It's very easy. Y' jis have t' be quick. I'll teach y' de basics later on."

"Whateva, Swamp Rat." Rogue laughed, but then turned her attention back to the huge assortment of mail. She flipped through them quickly, stopping here and there. "Here, Rem. Ya got somethin'." She tossed him the pale blue envelope. Gambit examined it closely. There was no return address. Still staring at the envelope, he opened the front door for Rogue. She walked through, trying to hold all of the letters.

Remy paused before entering the mansion. He held it closer to his eyes, squinting. He saw a tiny white emblem in the corner. _NOAG_. He gasped quietly. _Non, it can' be._

"I'll catch up wit y' later, Rogue." He said barely above a whisper as he ran upstairs.

_What the hell has gotten in ta him?_

Remy hurried up the steps and into his room. He plopped onto his bed and tore open the blue envelope. He gulped as he recognized the handwriting.

_Hey, Remy. Did you miss me?_

Kitty noticed Rogue sitting alone in the kitchen, munching on some pretzels. She sat down next to her. "Hey Rogue."

Rogue jumped, suddenly realizing she wasn't alone. She relaxed when Kitty came into focus. "Hi, Kit. Guess Ah was concentratin' on mah pretzels." She let out a forced giggle.

"Where's Remy?" Kitty looked around for the Cajun.

"Up in his room. Been up there since we got back from school." Rogue sighed.

"Freaky," Kitty said wide-eyed.

"Ya're tellin' me. Ah think it was this letter he got today. He got it an' ya woulda thought he was Quicksilver with how fast he high-tailed it outta here."

"Have you, like, tried going up and talking to him?"

"Ah'll go up a lil later. Raht now Ah think he wants ta be alone." Rogue gazed upward, frowning.

Remy read the letter for what seemed like the hundredth time. Every time the words still seemed unreal. _She's in New York. Gambit non believe dis._

He heard a knock on the door. He shoved the paper under his pillow. "Oui?"

The door opened. "Guten Tag, Remy." _Whew, t'ought it'd be Rogue._

"Hey, Kurt. What's up?" Remy did a quick scan of the floor noticing the torn envelope on the floor. He kicked it gingerly under his bed, hoping Nightcrawler wouldn't notice.

"I vas vondering if you had your math book. I left mine in school." _Silly dumkopf_. Kurt mentally smacked himself in the head.

Remy reached for his school bag at the end of the bed. "Here y' go, mon ami." He handed the textbook over.

"Danke." BAMF! _Wish he'd shut de door next time._ Remy walked to the door, ready to shut it, but his green eyed beauty stopped him when she walked up to his door.

"Hey, Rems. Is there somethin' goin' on?"

Remy felt his body heat rise. He hoped his face wasn't as red as he thought. "Hmm, dere's not'ing chere. Why?" He said, wishing he sounded convincing.

"Ya seemed pretty secretive 'bout that letter…" She trailed off, peeking over his shoulder for some evidence.

"Dat mail I got? It was not'ing." Rogue looked at him with uncertainty. He wanted to tell her, but how would she handle it?

_Ah don't wanna push in ta his privacy… yet. Ah'll figure this out later._ "All raht, dinner's ready. Ororo sent me up ta get ya." She smiled.

Remy smelled the air. He loved Ororo's cooking. He extended his arm which Rogue took hold of. "Let's go den, chere. Can' keep Stormy waitin'."

Long after everyone had gone to bed, he was still up, tossing and turning. He thought about going to the roof to think, but somehow a thunderstorm had started; no way he'd go up there then. _Wonder if Stormy be havin' a nightmare._

He got out of bed, too restless to remain on his back. He slowly made his way downstairs, hoping something to drink would help him sleep.

Remy made his way to the kitchen, not surprised to see Logan sitting in there already, drinking a beer. "Don' y' ever sleep, homme?"

"Not when I don't need to, Gumbo," Logan replied gruffly. "So what's yer story?"

"Huh?" He turned from the cabinet where he was retrieving a glass.

"Why aren't ya asleep like the others? Somethin' on yer mind?" He paused, waiting for a reaction from Remy. "Somethin's gotta be wrong. Don't smell right." Logan tapped his nose to emphasize his extra senses.

_Lyin_' _t'_ _him be jis as bad as lyin' t' Xavier or Jean._ He tried anyway. "The storm be keepin' me up."

"Sure, bub. Kitty would be awake before any of us if the storm was that bad." Logan's eyes narrowed on the lanky Cajun in front of the fridge.

"Not'ing den, homme. I jis t'inkin' 'bout stuff." He opened the fridge and pulled out the orange juice.

"All right, Cajun." Logan got up to leave the room. "But if any of that thinkin' involves Rogue, ya better be keepin' it clean." To prove his point, he unsheathed the claws on his right hand.

Remy smiled. _I love when Wolverine acts all brot'erly._ "Sure, Logan." He retracted his claws and left Remy with his thoughts. _Logan's so protective of Roguey. Good t'ing she be on my side._ He snickered as he sipped his juice and went back upstairs.

When he got to his room, he put the glass on his nightstand and climbed back into bed. As he attempted to get comfortable, his hand ran across of rough piece of paper underneath his pillow. He cursed under his breath when thoughts of _her_ returned to his head.

He drifted off into a dreamless sleep surprisingly. He got out of bed and felt re-energized.

Rogue apparently, did not.

Remy noticed they hadn't had their tradition morning 'fight' when he went to take his shower, meaning she hadn't left her room yet.

He knocked gently on her door. "Chere?" Only a mild groan was her reply. "I'm comin' in." He pushed the door till he got hit with a wave of stale air.

He walked over to Rogue's bed, trying to ignore the putrid air. "Go away, Ah need more sleep." She moaned, rolling over in her bed.

"I'm not lettin' y' waste y' Saturday in bed, chere." Remy walked over to the window and opened the curtains. A beam of light stretched across the room and hit Rogue. Before she could pull the blanket over her head to shield herself from the blinding light, he got a look at her.

"Chere? What's wrong?" He was back by her bed and ready to slide the blankets off her head but she held on tight.

"Remy, not now. Please, Ah don't want ya ta see me like this." She whimpered from under the blankets. Gambit heard a hushed cough escape her throat.

"Y' come out or I'm gonna charge de blankets," he threatened, hoping he didn't sound too harsh.

Rogue rolled back over, but still grasped the blankets tight. "Please don't laugh, Remy," she hoarsely whispered. _Chere sounds terrible._

He kneeled down next to her bed. He reached up to the top of the blanket and started to peel it down, not feeling any resistance from Rogue.

Gambit held back a gasp. Rogue's usually pale face was even whiter with a tint of redness at the tip of her nose. Sweat beaded on her forehead and cheeks. Her hair scattered everywhere matted against her head in sweat.

Happy he'd worn his gloves today, he brushed – peeled – a white strand from her eye. That's what beat him up inside. Her usually shimmery green eyes were drained of any vibrance. They were just puffy and rimmed with red. He realized he had been thinking too long when a huge sneeze erupted from Rogue.

"Ah think Ah'm sick," she sniffled, finding that next to impossible because her nose felt like someone shoved marshmallows in her nostrils.

"I t'ink dat too, chere." He smiled warmly.

"Ah have no idea where this came from. Ah heard mah alarm go off an' when Ah reached for it, every muscle an' bone in mah body ached," she whined.

"Maybe y' caught de flu, non?"

"Ah didn't think anyone could catch it in June." She sighed. Then she twitched. "Remy, get me a tissue… quick!" Remy reached on the nightstand and threw a Kleenex at her. She grabbed it midair and put it up to her nose. Then she sneezed. Remy could have sworn that the noise echoed through the entire mansion.

"Y' want me t' stay home?" He said, getting up and sitting on her bed facing her.

"Aww, Remy. Ya don't hafta. Ah'll be fine on mah own." She tried to prove her point by flying out of bed, but as soon as she rose three inches off the bed, she broke out in a coughing fit and slammed against the bed as she lost control.

"Dat's it. I'm stayin' wit y'," he said, caressing her mangled hair.

"Ah really don't want ya ta waste yoah Saturday, but all raht. The professor's probably want ya ta do a bunch of trainin' though."

"Den I'll stay out an' get y' anyt'ing y' need, chere."

She smiled weakly. "Fine, Remy. Raht now Ah could go for some lemonade, but we have that here-"

"Non, I know a place wit de best lemonade in the state." He got up from the bed. Then he picked up Rogue's communicator off her nightstand and tossed it on the bed next to her. "Call me if y' want t' talk." He smiled.

"But it'll take ya foreva on foot." She protested. "Ya don't have me ta fly ya." She giggled, cut short by a cough.

"Don' worry 'bout it, chere. I'll find anot'er way." He smiled devilishly.

_That's mah Remy for ya._ Rogue pulled the blankets up to her nose as she watched Gambit leave the room.

"I don't t'ink Logan'll mind if I borrow his bike…" he said fiendishly as he crept up to Wolverine's treasured motorcycle. The dark garage concealed the bike being wheeled away. Once Remy was back in the sunlight, he flicked down his sunglasses and rode away. He pretended not to hear the loud growl echoing behind him.

As he rode to the restaurant on the outskirts of New York City, his thoughts drifted between the sick southern belle at home and the mysterious blonde that wanted back in his life. _Need t' be dere for Rogue… But want ta see Belle. What she doin' up here? How did she find me?_

"Remy?" Rogue's hoarse but soft voice interrupted him. He clicked the communicator located on the handlebar of the bike.

"Oui, chere?"

"Ah think ya should stay out a lil longer. Wolvie busted in here sayin' a certain Cajun took his motorcycle." She giggled, but then coughed.

"Ok, y' need anyt'ing else, chere?"

"Nah, Ah'm just gonna look forward to tastin' that lemonade, Remy. So don't be _too_ long." She giggled again, successful this time.

"I'll be back sooner den y' t'ink. I can take Logan." He chuckled.

"Ya're lucky he's out gettin' new wood for mah door. Just watch yoah back." He heard her blow her nose.

"Get some sleep, chere. I'll be dere when y' wake."

"All raht, Remy. Bye."

"Later, chere." He clicked the handle bar again. _Some extra time, eh?_ As he sped up, his mind drifted to the letter. _Gambit_ _gonna visit an old friend…_

Remy pulled the motorcycle up in front of a Four Seasons hotel just on the inner border of NYC. He climbed off and broke the wires that powered the bike in a way that he could repair later. _Can' risk someone takin' Logan's wheel. Homme never f'give me._ Then he took a deep breath and entered the five story building.

He walked up to the front desk. The clerk looked up at him and stuck his nose in the air at Remy's 'ratty' appearance: a t-shirt, jeans, and his trenchcoat. "Can I help you," he paused, then added smugly. "Sir?"

Remy ignored the clerk's rudeness. "Oui, I'm lookin' for Belladonna Boudreaux."

The clerk checked his book. "Ah, yes, Miss Boudreaux is in Room 503."

"Merci." Then Remy made his way to the elevator, tempted to throw a charged quarter as a tip to the clerk.

After the anxious ride up, he felt calm enough to finally see her. He glanced at the door in front of him. 502. He moved down the hall to the next door. 503.

He took a deep breath and knocked. "Comin'!" He heard Belle's sweet voice on the other side.

When the door opened, Remy was at a loss for words. Her golden blond hair fell in a curly mess below her shoulders.

"Remy! Y' came!" Belle threw her arms around the still awestruck Remy. "I've missed y' so much." She whispered.

He just hugged her back, unable to believe that he was standing there with her. Belle pulled away. "How rude of me!" She grabbed his hand and led him into the hotel room. "We've got a lil catchin' up t' do." She smirked. Remy recognized the smile. He grinned back, but letting go of her hand to sit on a chair. "Would y' like anyt'ing t' drink?" She stood underneath the arch leading to the tiny kitchen.

"Oui, merci." He said quietly. As Belle slipped into the kitchen, he checked out the room. _Leave it t' Belle t' get de fancy place._ There was a huge balcony with an excellent view of part of the river and the city.

"Here y' go." Belle handed him a glass of coke. He nodded and accepted it. "So, how have t'ings been up here, Remy?"

"Pretty good," he said, sipping his soda. "Got people t' live up here wit."

"Oh." Belle sat down on the foot of the bed, staring at him. "Do y' miss us?"

Remy froze. There was nothing more that he wanted in the world than to forget about everything and everyone down in New Orleans. "Neh, chere. I don' miss dat place at all."

She paused for a moment. "Not even me?" She said with a twisted innocence. Remy fell silent, not knowing how to respond. He rubbed his head for a moment, feeling dizzy. "Are y' all right? Y' look sick."

"Oui, chere. Give me a sec." He took another sip of his drink. When he looked up from the glass Belle was hovering over him.

"Y' never answered me, Remy." She said smiling, like she knew the answer.

"'Course I did." His mind had gone blank, like it had been sucked of any real thoughts.

Belle giggled in joy and took his glass from him. After she placed it on the table, she found a spot on Remy's lap. "I've missed y' too." She whispered into his ear as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Dis doesn't feel right, Belle." He squirmed slightly under her body, trying to figure out why he felt so uncomfortable.

"O' course it ain't gonna feel right now. We have done anyt'ing for so long…" Then she kissed his cheek. The feeling felt weird to Gambit, like he'd hadn't done it in awhile. Though he couldn't figure out why. "It's gonna be jis like it use t' be when we lived wit my daddy."

Remy woke up. "I ain't goin' back, Belle." He sat up abruptly, almost knocking Belle off of him. But she caught herself before hitting the ground.

"Remy, please. Y' don' belong here. Dis ain't y' home." She stood up against him, staring up at him with her twinkling blue eyes. _Dose aren't de eyes I love… but why can' I remember?_

"I gotta go, Belle." He turned to leave but she stopped him by grabbing his hand and pulling him down to her level. She kissed him gently, but then got fiercer. Remy kissed back, but didn't know why. He pulled away.

"Why are y' doin' dis, Remy? I still love you."

He paused. "G'Bye, chere."

"Can I see y' t'morrow?" She gazed into his eyes a final time before he whipped around to avoid her hurting eyes.

"Maybe." Then he left, still feeling dizzy. _Why did dat feel so wrong?_

He walked out to the motorcycle. Some of the memories came back. _Dat's_ _Wolverine's bike… what is Remy doin' in de city in de first place?_ He looked around, dazed. After fumbling the wires back together, he climbed onto the bike, riding back to the mansion that he suddenly remembered as well. "Remy?" The voice startled him. It sounded so familiar but he couldn't figure out who it was. He clicked the button next to his hand.

"Oui?"

"Hey. Ah was just wonderin' where ya are… Ah'm gettin' a lil lonely here." It was Rogue. He remembered! He had originally gone out to get her lemonade because she was sick. He couldn't figure out why he had forgotten in the first place though…

"I'll be home soon, chere."

"All raht, Remy. Love ya." She sniffled loudly.

Remy hesitated. "Love y' too. See y' when I get home." He clicked off. He shook his head slightly and turned the motorcycle around to get the lemonade he had been boasting about earlier.

Remy packed the jug of lemonade on to the back of the motorcycle. He climbed on it and rode towards the mansion. He now fully remembered everything. The only things that were out of focus were the things that happened in the hotel room, like he had been drunk or something.

After 15 minutes of focusing on nothing except the afternoon road ahead of him, his thoughts adverted to Belladonna. _Why she be doin' dis? Why she come back now?_ He knew how she was like. She wouldn't give up till he left New York with her. She was stubborn, sort of like Rogue, but Rogue had an inner beauty unlike Belle. Belle did anything that would benefit her situation. That's how the kids in the Assassins Guild were brought up.

He wasn't sure if she was telling the truth about still loving him. He didn't know if she ever did when they were engaged. _I_ _loved her. Now? Non._

He felt guilty about deceiving Rogue, especially her being sick. But his curiosity got the best of him with the letter. Belle sounded so sincere, but he knew it was too good to be true. She was still the same Belladonna Boudreaux, the blonde who stole most guys' hearts with a single sparkle in her baby blue eyes. Remy fell for it once, but not again.

He saw the mansion in the distance. He checked the clock on the motorcycle. 4:12. He had been gone since a little after 9. _Hope dat was plenty of time for Rogue t' feel better_.

As he parked in the garage, a pair of burly arms pulled him off the bike. "Monsieur Logan, good t' see y' too."

"Ya ever think of doin' that again, Gumbo, don't count on Rogue to talk me out of slicin' that smile off yer face." He growled. Then he dropped Remy, looking over the bike.

Remy stood by to wait for the report of the condition of the bike. "Good job, Cajun. And since it's still in one piece, I won't tell Rogue about the girl ya were with."

Gambit's mouth dropped. "How did-"

Logan pointed to his nose. "I smell some perfume on ya that isn't Rogue's. Ya go near her again, don't think it's just me you'll have to deal with." He smirked, but Remy was frozen in fear. _What would Rogue actually t'ink 'bout Belle?_

He silently gulped. "Merci." He grabbed the lemonade and turned to leave.

"She said to meet her on the roof."

"She feelin' better?" Remy asked.

"Much. Didn't want 'er up there though. So go talk to her and bring her down." Remy nodded. Then he left Wolverine alone with the motorcycle.

"Chere, y' shouldn' be up here." He said after he successfully sneaked up behind her.

Rogue jumped so high she would have fallen off the roof if she couldn't fly. "Remy!" She said angrily when she landed. But then she smiled. "Ya're back!" She hugged him.

"Gambit see y' missed him, non?"

"Of course. Everythin' is so borin' without ya 'round here." Remy was thrilled to see the energy back in her eyes. He handed her a water bottle. "What's this?"

"Didn' I tell y' I was gonna bring y' home some lemonade?"

She laughed. "Yah, ya did." She took a sip. "Hmm, this _is_ great." She sipped some more.

"So y' t'ink y' body guard let us out t' have some fun?" He chuckled.

"Ah don't think Ah'm that well ta go out, Remy." She pouted.

Remy thought for a moment. "Den we have fun here." Rogue grinned at the idea.

"Ya told me yesterday ya would teach me how ta steal…"

He nodded. "Let's go, chere."

After a couple hours of teaching her some basics of 'thieving,' they settled down in front of the TV with Kurt and Evan. Scott and Jean had gone out to a movie and Kitty was out running errands with Ororo.

"What are ya'll watchin in here?" Rogue asked, nestling herself into Remy.

"We just popped in _the Waterboy_." Evan said.

After a couple minutes of watching it, Rogue whispered, "Ah'm glad all Cajuns don't stutter."

Remy nodded in response, but he was lost in his thoughts once again. He felt sick, as he did before at the hotel. This time his mind didn't go completely blank. Incoherent thoughts swirled around his head and seemed to focus on one person. Belle.

Rogue tried to snap, but thanks to her gloves, it only came out as a muffled pop. "Remy, are ya there?" She waved her hand in front of his unfocused eyes. "Gambit, don't make me find out what ya're thinkin' about the hard way."

He blinked and gazed down at the stern but worried expression on her face. "Sorry, chere. Guess Gambit get lost in de movie."

"It's been over for five minutes." She said flatly. She turned to Evan, since Kurt fell asleep. "S'cuse us, Porcupine." He nodded as he watched Rogue pull Remy to his feet. Then they walked out of the rec room.

Rogue pulled him up to his room. "Ya all raht? Ah hope ya didn't catch what Ah had earlier." She sat him down on his bed.

"It's not'ing like dat, chere. Gambit jis tired." He hated lying to her, but any time another girl seemed like a threat to his relationship with Rogue, she blew up. And he didn't want to tell her about Belle till she was feeling better completely.

"Are ya sure, Remy? Yoah face is lookin' pale. But at least yoah eyes are still glowin'." She smiled.

"Positive, chere." He glanced at his alarm clock. "It be gettin' late. I t'ink y' should get some sleep."

"Ya too, Remy. Ah don't want ya ta waste tomorrow in bed like Ah did today."

"Night, Rogue." He held her gloved hand to his lips and lightly kissed it.

She didn't try to hide her blushing cheeks. This was just as much of a tradition as their morning fight was. "G'night, Swamp Rat." She left the room, silently shutting the door behind her.

A few minutes after Rogue left, Remy turned off the light and lay down in bed. Within a couple of moments, he was asleep.

Rogue hovered over his bed. She checked the clock sitting on the nightstand. 2:53. _He's_ _so peaceful when he's sleepin'._ She tried sleeping, but all her sleep during the day made her restless that night.

She kept a few feet above the ground, longingly gazing at Remy as he slept. She loved how he slept just in boxers. She was so tempted to trace the muscles on his chest with her finger, but she had forgotten to put on her gloves.

She carefully reached down to brush a piece of hair away from his face. Just before her fingers touched the lock of hair, he murmured, "Non, Belle, don' wan' y' no more."

Rogue's hand stopped at the sound of his voice. She pulled back as she listened to him. _Belle? Who the hell is Belle?_

"Can' tell Roguey…"

"Can't tell Roguey what?" She whispered gently.

"Get away, Belle…" Then suddenly his eyes shot open, and he snapped up in bed, pushing himself against Rogue's bare arm.

Rogue pulled away quickly, but it didn't help. Remy fell back down unconscious as quickly as he'd awoken. Rogue muttered to herself under her breath. "Ah'm stuck here. No way Ah'll be able ta open the door without chargin' it…" She sat on the bed and kept her arms in the air, waiting for the transfer to wear off. Pictures of Remy and some blond girl that she could only assume was Belle were floating around her head. She tried to piece them together. Rogue saw Belle sitting on Remy's lap, with her arms around him. Then another picture flashed with them kissing. Then pictures of Remy picking up the lemonade appeared. _He did this while he was out today?_ She balled her glowing fists. Then she glared at the unconscious Cajun on the bed. "Ya have some explainin' ta do, Remy."

Remy slowly woke up, rubbing his temples. "Eh, what happened?" He groaned to himself.

"Who's Belle?" Rogue asked from the foot of the bed. She checked her hands and they were no longer glowing so she put them down. They were beginning to feel heavy from the change of blood flow.

"Belle?" He was startled to see Rogue at his feet. _Dammit, Gambit mus' have said somet'ing in his sleep._ He tried to sit up, but his head still hurt from who knows what.

"Yah, Belle. Ya said somethin about her while ya were sleepin', an' Ah accidentally absorbed ya when ya woke up startled."

_Dat_ _explain de migraine._ "How much y' know, chere?"

"Enough ta not wanna talk ta ya. Night." She got up from the bed and opened the door. She ignored her temptation to slam it so she left it open to avoid her strength breaking the door.

Remy sighed. His head throbbed and his girlfriend was mad at him. _Great way t' wake up, homme._

He slouched further down in his bed. He slid his hand underneath his pillow and pulled out the crumpled letter. He crushed it in his hand, feeling the energy flow through it. He tossed it at the wall, watching tiny shards of light break apart at impact. _Why Rogue have t' be so stubborn an' jealous? I'm not gonna get sleep now._ He sighed. _Dis is stupid._

He climbed out of bed, grabbing a t shirt, pair of sweatpants and his trenchcoat on his way to the window. He slid down the gutter to the ground and ran to the garage. Knowing it would be stupid to take Logan's motorcycle again, he got into Scott's red convertible. As soon as he hot wired it, he jetted out of the garage, heading towards the city.

Rogue watched the car squeal out of the school, knowing Remy was the driver. She sighed loudly. She found a pair of jeans that she quickly pulled on, as well as her gloves. She put them on as she flew out the window. _Ah'm_ _gettin' ta the bottom of this._

_What did I do? What did Chere see?_ He stepped harder on the gas pedal as he reached the city border. _Why I be doin' dis? Maybe Belle have more o' an impact den I t'ought._

He was caught in a whirlwind of thoughts. Did he have some sort of feeling for Belle again?

As he started to pass various buildings, he started feeling that daze he had felt before. A wave of heat flushed over him, then he got the chills. It must have been 70 degrees that night. He slowed the car down in front of the hotel as he had done before. But he didn't bother to trip the wires. Scott wasn't his favorite person anyway.

He walked like a zombie to the entrance of the hotel. He walked in, relieved not to see the snotty clerk from earlier. Instead he saw a younger woman on the verge of falling asleep. She heard the door clang as it shut behind Gambit and she perked up as much as she could, though the sleepiness was still visible in her eyes. "Can I help you?"

"On my way upstairs. I know where I'm goin'." He said quietly, still feeling slightly ill. The clerk just nodded, her eyes widening at his appearance. Though he seemed quite ragged, she found him irresistible. She followed him with her eyes as he got into the elevator.

Rogue floated above the hotel. She yawned, her lack of sleep finally catching up with her. But she couldn't go back now. "Remy, what are ya doin' here?" She whispered as she descended down on to the sidewalk next to Scott's car.

She strolled into the hotel, noticing the alert woman behind the desk. "Did ya happen ta see a guy in a trenchcoat come in here about 5 minutes ago?" She nervously ran her hand through her tasseled auburn hair.

The clerk nodded. "Yeah," She sighed, but then saw the anger swell up in the green eyes of the girl before her. "But he didn't say where he was going. Think he went to the 5th floor." She pointed to the elevator Remy had been in moments earlier.

"Thank ya." Rogue hurried over to the elevator and impatiently pressed the 'up' button several times. The clerk watched her curiously.

He knocked on the door. "Comin'." The voice was groggy and tired on the other side. When the door opened though, her eyes lit up. "Remy! What are y' doin' here at dis hour?" She pulled him in and shut the door behind them.

Remy said nothing. He just sat in the chair he had sat in earlier. "Merde, y' look terrible. I'll go get y' somet'ing t' drink." She disappeared into the kitchen. He just glanced around the room. Every time his eyes fixated on another spot, he felt a wave of nausea. _What be wrong wit Gambit?_

Belle came back with a cup of water. She handed it to Remy, but he didn't drink it. "Remy c'mon. Y' need t' drink dis." Her eyes widened when he looked up at her.

"What y' doin' t' me?" He whispered coldly. He knew she was up to something.

"What do y' mean?" She looked hurt. He wasn't going to fall for it again.

"Don' do dis, Belle. I come earlier, an' I feel fine. But now I feel like crap. I keep losin' track of ev'ryt'ing an' I got Rogue worried an' now she knows y' kissed me, even dough I don' 'member it."

"Den how she know 'bout it?" Her blue eyes sparkled in the dim light.

"Cus she a mutant like me." He didn't feel like explaining everything to her at the moment. As of then, he just wanted to know what was going on in his body. Her attention on Remy changed when she heard a faint voice outside in the hallway.

"Remy? Where are ya, Swamp rat?"

Remy got up to go get Rogue, but he fell back as a violent dizzy spell took over his body. "Rogue…" He rubbed his head before he lost consciousness.

"I'm gonna find out what dat whore wants wit my Remy." Belle stormed out into the hallway, meeting eyes with a floating girl.

"You Belle?" Rogue asked bluntly.

"Oui, madame." Belle replied sweetly while glaring at her.

"Then this is gonna be more satisfyin' then Ah thought." Rogue lunged herself at the blonde, tackling her to the ground. Belle was ready for the attack and grabbed a good chunk of Rogue's hair. She lifted the two of them off the floor and with her free hand, she punched Rogue in the stomach.

Rogue doubled over, clutching her stomach, pretending she was in pain. "Oh, ouch." She said sarcastically, looking up at Belle with an evil glint in her eye. Then she ran towards Belle full kilt and landed a kick in her side with all her strength. Belle went flying into the opposite wall. She limped onto the floor, trying to catch her breath from the incredible blow. _Didn't wanna do this…_ Rogue took her glove off as she walked over to Belle's exhausted body. Then she knelt down next to her. "Sorry, sweetie." She brought her fingers to the blonde's creamy skin and felt her energy surge through her.

Belle fell limp under Rogue. "Dat's what y' get for messin' wit mah Remy." She huffed before she stood up. As she slid her glove back on, she felt like kicking the still body laying on the ground, but she had to see Remy.

She flew into the room she had seen Belle come out of. Sure enough, Remy was unconscious in the chair. She sat on the arm of the chair, gazing at him. "Did Ah ever tell y' how cute ya are when y' sleep?" She whispered, her usual southern drawl and Belle's Cajun accent mixing. She closed her eyes and paid attention to Belle's memories.

There was a picture of Belle going into the hotel kitchen getting drinks. Belle kept checking the other room as she pulled a small pill out of her pocket. She broke it and dispensed the powder in it into one of the glasses.

Rogue's eyes popped open. "Aww, Remy, dat's why ya've looked so sick." She closed her eyes again, trying to force Belle out of her mind. But instead she saw another memory. Belle was talking with this strange looking mutant, in what looked like a swamp. He had silver skin, with a blue scaly suit on… and a red diamond in the middle of his forehead.

"Chere?" Remy moaned, reaching out for her arm. Rogue opened up her eyes and lost the picture.

"Ah'm here, Remy." She took his hand in hers. "She ain't gonna bother ya anymore."

"Gambit don' feel so good…" He blinked his eyes a couple times, but he still looked dizzy. He reached for the cup of water that Belle had given to him.

"No!" She smacked his hand away from the glass. "She poisoned yoah cup. That's why ya've been sick."

"An' how do y' know dis, chere?" He tried staring her down, but a rush of heat flowed through his body.

"Cus Ah absorbed her a 'lil bit… don't be mad." She got up from the arm of the chair.

"Right now, Gambit too sick t' be mad. An' she had it comin'." He sighed. _At least dis explain ev'ryt'ing._

"An', when Ah saw her thoughts, Ah saw somethin' else. But they faded as soon as ya woke up, so thanks, Remy." She frowned. "Ah don't remember them now."

"So, are we okay now?" He hoped that Rogue knew that the kiss wasn't his fault since he was completely out of it.

"Yah, we're good." She smiled again. "Let's go home. Ah'm beat."

"Y' tellin' me. Y' can drive dough."

Rogue nodded. She pulled him up and slung his arm over her shoulder. Then they walked out of the hotel room, stepping over Belle's stirring body. "Remy?" She said weakly.

Remy ignored her. They walked over to the window and flew out down to the car.

The End.


End file.
